Gasoline pump topper construction



p 2, 1 5 R. w. KRAYER 2,849,817

GASOLII JE PUMP TOPPER CONSTRUCTION 'Filed June 21, 1957 INVENTOR.

BY Robert WW0) ATTORNEYS United States Patent 70 GASOLINE PUM? TOPPER CONSTRUCTION Application June 21, 1957, Serial No. 667,155

6 Claims. (Cl. 40-131) This invention relates to an advertising device for the top of a gasoline pump. More particularly, it pertains to a transparent plastic container adapted for attachment to the top of a gasoline pump and for enclosing advertising matter therein.

In the past the oil companies have been inclined to advertise their products such as gasoline on the permises of gasoline filling stations by using advertising means of varying types. Such advertising means have included posters, signs, banners, and the like, attached to permanent standards and buildings to attract the attention of the motorist. Most of the advertising means have been of relatively fragile construction designed for temporary advertising purposes only. For that reason the advertising means have been relatively short-lived due to the detrimental effects of the weather.

One type of such advertising means has included cardboard signs printed and folded for attachment to a globe on top of a gasoline pump. Such cardboard signs have been satisfactory for temporary advertising, but have been subject tothe usual disadvantages of cardboard when scored and folded, i. e. it tears readily, particularly when subjected to rain and strong winds.

Hence, a need for a more permanent type of advertising means at such places as gasoline filling stations has existed. It has been found that transparent plastic sheets, which are resistant to variations in the weather and temperature, may be used as containers for cardboard signs, and that the signs may be changed from time to time without changing the container.

Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide a means for mounting advertising signs-on the top of a gasoline pump.

It is another object of this invention to provide a container for advertising signs which is secured to the top of a gasoline pump in a weather-resistant and permanent manner.

It is another object of this invention to provide a container for advertising matter which protects such matter from the detrimental effects of weather, temperature changes, and the like.

Finally, it is an object of this invention to provide a gasoline pump topper construction which substantially eliminates the difficulties enumerated and Which obtains the foregoing desiderata in a simple and effective manner.

These and other objects and advantages apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and claims may be obtained, the stated results achieved and the described ditliculties overcome by the discoveries, principlespapparatus, parts, combinations, subcombinations and elements which comprise the present invention, the nature of which is set forth in the following statement, a preferred embodiment of whichillustrative of the best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying the principles-4s set forth in the following description, and which is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming part hereof.

The nature of the gasoline pump topper construction of Zfidflfil? Patented Sept. 2, i958 the present invention may be stated in general terms as including in a gasoline pump having a globe top, a pair of transparent plastic members fabricated from two sheets of plastic, each member having a lower portion embossed to enclose substantially one half-side of the globe, each member having an upper portion slightly spaced from a corresponding portion of the other member to provide a substantially rectangular-shaped chamber above the lower portion, the assembled members having peripheral margins around three sides, portions of which are cemented together, the remaining portions of the margins being clamped together by metal U-shaped clips, and the lower extremities of the members having outturned footers resting upon the top of the gasoline pump for providing additional support.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a gasoline pump having a plastic advertising topper attached thereto; 7

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the to portion of a gasoline pump with the plastic topper attached thereto;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the assembly of a gasoline pump topper;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, showing the pump globe broken away; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view with parts broken away, taken on the line 5,'5 of 'Fig. 4.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

in Fig. l a gasoline pump is generally indicated at 1. It includes a pump top surface 2 and a pump globe 3 and is provided with a pump topper or advertising device generally indicated at 4. The topper 4 is a container or shell having a lower enlarged portion 5 adapted for snugly encasing the pump globe 3 and having an upper flat portion 6, preferably substantially rectangular in shape for enclosing an advertising card 7.

The topper 4 is a shell-like structure including two transparent members or half-portions it and 9 as shown in Fig. 4. The members 8 and 9 are preferably fabricated from clear plastic sheets such as vinyl or other similar material.

The members preferably have some degree of resilience. The plastic sheets are embossed or drawn to provide a lower enlarged portion -5 having the exact configuration of the globe 3. The enlarged portion may be a round globe such as shown in the drawings, a square globe, or a globe having any other configuration.

The member 8 includes a peripheral flange extending around three sides including opposite edge flange portions 10 and 11 and top flange portion 12. Likewise, the memher 9 includes opposite edge flange portions 13 and 14 as well as top flange portion 15. The flange portions are separated from the main body of the member 8 and 9 by shoulders. For example, flange portions 11 and 12 include shoulders 11a and 12a (Fig. 5). The corresponding flanges on the members 8 and 9 are placed in abutment with each other, leavinga space 7a (Fig. 4) between upper portions of members 8 and 9. Portions of the abutting flanges are cemented together at 16 in a waterproof manner. As shown in Fig. 5, the cement 16 extends from a line 17 located slightly below the top of the globe to an upper limit line '18 on both opposite edges of the topper. The lower portions of the abutting flanges 11- and 13 as well as 10 and 14 are not cemented together to permit separation of the lower part of the members 8 and 9 for attachment and removal of the topper on the globe 3.

The greater portions of the abutting flanges 11 and 13 and 10 and 14 are held together by U-shaped metal clips or clamps 19 and 20, respectively, whichextend from the lower ends of the flanges to a point above the enlarged portion 5. Each clamp 19 and 20 is retained in place by frictional engagement with the corresponding abutting flanges 11 and 13 and 1t) and 14, respectively.

The top flange portions 12 and 15 are preferably not cemented to permit insertion and removal. of, an advertising card 7 in the space 7a without removal of the topper 4 from the globe 3. The flanges 12 and 15 are preferably held together by a clamp 21. However, the top flange portions 12 and 15, may also be cemented together, in which case the upper end 18 of the cemented area 16 continues, horizontally across the top oflthe sign and the clamp 21. is unnecessary.

The member 8 is provided. with similar peripheral flanges including opposite edge. flange portions 10. and 11 and a top flange portion 12. Likewise, the member 9 has opposite edge flange portions 13 and 14 as well as top flange portion 15. The flange portions, are separated from the main body of the members 8 and 9 by shoulders. Thus, the flange, portions 11 and 12 include, shoulders 11a and 12a (Figv The lower end of the topper 4 is provided with a set of laterally extending footers or flanges dispsoed in oppositely extending pairs 22 and 23, and 24 and 25, Moreover, the members 8 and 9 include pedestals 26 and 27, respectively, which surround the lower collar of theglobe 3. The footers 22-25 and the pedestals 26 and 27 engage the top surface 2 of the pump as shown in Fig. 2. The footers 2225 and the pedestals 26 and 27 are integral with the lower edges of the respective members 8 and 9 and provide additional resistanceto distortion of the entire topper 4 caused by the wind.

The topper 4 is installed by separating the lower portions 5 of each side of the member so that the lower portions may be placed over the globe 3. Thereafter the U-shaped metal clamps 19 and 20 are inserted over the corresponding side flanges as shown in Fig. 2. The advertising card 7 is then inserted into the space 7a in the upper portion of the topper so that the lower edge of the card contacts the top of the globe 3. The clamp 21, is then installed along the upper end of the topper 4 to hold opposite flange portions 12 and together.

The U-shaped clamps 19, and 21 serve the purpose of not only holding the peripheral side flange portions together, but also reinforce the entire construction against tortional forces exerted on the topper 4 by the wind.

When it is desirable to replace the sign 7 with a different sign the top clamp 21 is removed and the abutting flanges 12 and 15 on the top end of the members 8 and 9 are separated slightly to permit removal of the sign 7 and replacement with another sign. The clamp 21 is then replaced until another change of signs is desirable.

The device of the present invention is an improvement over previous constructions because it provides an effective weather-resistant means for mounting and maintaining advertising signs in place on top of gasoline pumps. Moreover, the construction of the present invention provides a member which is transparent to preserve the visibility of the lighted globe on the gasoline pump and to give visibility to printed matter or advertising signs mounted in the upper portion of the topper.

In the foregoing description certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such words are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiment of the improved construction illustrated and described herein is byway of example,

and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown.

Having now described the features, constructions and principles of the invention, the characteristics of the new gasoline pump topper construction, and the advantageous, new and useful results provided; the new and useful discoveries, principles, parts, elements, combinations, subcombinations, structures and arrangements, and mechanical equivalents obvious to those skilled in the art are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An advertising device for use on a gasoline pump having a top surface and a pump globe on the top surface, the device including a shell-like structure comprising a pair of transparent sheet-like members, the memers being spaced apart centrally thereof and having marginal border portions in abutment, clip means for holding the marginal border portions together in abutment, the structure having a lower portion adapted to snugly encase the pump globe, and the structure also having an upper portion providing a space adapted for retaining an advertising card in place between the members and above the pump globe.

2. The construction as set forth in claim 1 in which at least a portion of the marginal border portions is cemented together.

3. The construction as set forth in claim 1 in which the lower ends of the members have oppositely outturned footers resting on the top surface of the gasoline pump for providing additional support.

4. An advertising device for use on a gasoline pump having a top surface and a pump globe on the top surface, the device including a shell-like structure comprising a pair of transparent members fabricated from plastic sheets, each member having a lower portion embossed and adapted to enclose substantially one halfaside of the pump globe, each member having an upper portion slightly spaced from the corresponding upper portion of the other member to provide a substantially rectangularshaped chamber above the lower portion, the assembled members having peripheral margins around three sides, and the margins being clamped together by U-shaped clips.

5. An advertising device for use on a gasoline pump having a top surface and a pump globe mounted on the top surface, the device including a shell-like structure comprising a pair of transparent sheet-like members, the members being spaced apart centrally thereof and having marginal flanges in abutment around opposite edges and the top end, clip means for holding the flanges together in abutment, at least the upper portions of the edge flanges being cemented together, the structure having a lower portion adapted to snugly encase the pump globe, the structure also having an upper portion providing a space adapted for retaining an advertising card in place between the members and above the pump globe, and the lower ends of the members having outturned footers resting upon the top surface of the gasoline pump.

6. The construction as set forth in claim 5 in which the lower ends of the members also include pedestals integral with the members adapted for encasing the lower portion of the globe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,086,665 Fisher July 13, 1937 2,575,512 Erlewine Nov. 20, 1951 2,798,939 White July 9, 1957 

